Lake Okoboji Resort & Conference Center

We’ll definitely come back. The staff are friendly, the hotel had what we needed for our short vacation, and my daughter loved the pool. The hot tub was broken, though, and it would be great if they fixed it. Our sheets weren’t changed during the three nights, though I’m sure they would have if I’d asked. I do appreciate the sustainable toiletries and the reduced plastic. I also noticed many trees near the rooms had been cut down, so there may not be much shade this summer.

We come here pretty often because our kids love swimming. The pool is great for my 6- and 2-year-old, and the staff are always welcoming and friendly. I’d definitely recommend staying here.

We were there for a wedding and asked to have our rooms together, but our group ended up scattered. The rooms on the 1100 side were smelly, dated, and gross. Our shower backed up and wouldn’t drain, and there was puke in the hall. Trees were being “trimmed,” with work blocking one room belonging to another family member. There weren’t any pool towels, though breakfast was decent. The tree trimmer was really angry about not being paid well and said he needed a ride to Alabama. Strange situation. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The American inn next door looks much better.

The lack of follow-up after our stay made an already awful experience even worse. I sent management photos and videos of the problems and heard nothing back. Expedia contacted the hotel for me, but they still wouldn’t offer any reimbursement or even partial compensation. The online photos make this place look much better than it is. The property is rundown and extremely dated, nowhere near what I’d expect from a “resort.” It felt like a cheap roadside motel, with no accountability for guests’ experience. We paid a lot expecting a quality stay, but our rooms were junky, outdated, and barely functional. The fridge didn’t cool and leaked water, the tub only got lukewarm, the locks were unreliable, and there were bugs. I raised the issues with staff while we were there. They eventually sent maintenance for the water problem, but brushed off everything else. We’d specifically requested adjoining rooms so we could be next to our teenage children. Instead, we got two rooms beside each other. When I complained, they offered to move us, but that wouldn’t work because staying near our kids was non-negotiable. That was all the so-called customer service we got. For the cost, the condition, and the unprofessional staff and management, this was a huge disappointment. I’ll never return and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.